Geo-Spatial Data
This section provides brief
descriptions the geo-spatial databases used in the HEPGIS web applications.
All of the data used in HEPGIS applications are derived from geo-spatial
databases that are in the public domain, and most can be downloaded from one or
more federal web sites. Each
database description includes a link to the appropriate federal web site from
which the database can be downloaded and where more detailed metadata
documentation can be found.
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Updated
11/06/09:
New maps -
Economically Distressed Areas Maps.
Data Sources:
2007 Per Capita
Income, Bureau of Economic Analysis
24-Month Average
Unemployment Rates, Oct. 2007 - Sept. 2009, Bureau of Labor Statistics
According
to 42 U.S.C. 3161, Economically Distressed Areas (EDAs) are
areas where the unemployment is 1% or more above the national average or
the per capita income is 80% or less than the national average.
Therefore, the Economically Distressed Areas include those counties with a
per capita income of $30,892 or less or unemployment rate of 7.9% or more for
the most recent 24-month period for which data are available. The EDA map is
updated quarterly.
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Databases Common to Two or More Applications
The following geo-spatial
databases are used in two or more of the HEPGIS applications:
1.
State Boundaries -
State boundaries are based on cartographic
boundaries developed by the Bureau of the Census for the 2000 decennial Census,
and are consistent in geographic accuracy with the 2000 TIGER database.
Copies of the database and accompanying metadata may be downloaded from
either the U.S. Census Bureau's
Cartographic Boundary Files or from the Bureau of Transportation
Statistics' (BTS)
National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD).
2.
County Boundaries -
County boundaries are based on
cartographic boundaries developed by the Bureau of the Census for the 2000
decennial Census, and are consistent in geographic accuracy with the 2000 TIGER
database. Copies of the database
and accompanying metadata may be downloaded from either the U.S. Census
Bureau's
Cartographic
Boundary Files
or from the Bureau of
Transportation Statistics' (BTS)
National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD).
3.
Urban and Urbanized Areas -
Boundaries for urbanized areas (areas over
50,000 population) and urban clusters (areas between 2,500 and 50,000
population) are based on cartographic boundaries developed by the Bureau of the
Census for the 2000 decennial Census, and are consistent in geographic accuracy
with the 2000 TIGER database. Copies
of the database and accompanying metadata may be downloaded from the U.S.
Census Bureau's Cartographic
Boundary Files.
4.
Highways -
The highway network database is based on FHWA's National Highway Planning
Network (NHPN) Version 2005.08.
The NHPN is a 1:100,000 scale network database that contains line features
representing approximately 450,000 miles of current and planned highways in the
U.S. It includes interstates, principal arterials, and many rural minor
arterials. Copies of the database and accompanying metadata may be downloaded
from FHWA's NHPN website. The
National Highway System maps that are drawn from this version of the NHPN are
current up to August 2005. For NHS
changes that have occurred since August 2005, please refer to the
FHWA NHS website to view state-by-state Adobe PDF versions of the NHS
maps.
5.
Local Streets -
The local street network (which is visible only at
large scale levels of resolution) is based on the 2004 TIGER Street network,
developed by the Bureau of the Census.
Copies of the database and accompanying metadata may be
downloaded from the U.S. Census Bureau's
TIGER web site.
6.
Railroads -
The railroad network is based on FRA's 1:100,000 scale national railroad
network database. Copies of the
database and accompanying metadata may be downloaded from the Bureau of
Transportation Statistics' (BTS)National
Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD).
7.
Commercial Airports -
The commercial airport layer is a subset of FAA's 2003 Public Use Airports
database, containing only those airports that enplaned more than 1000
commercial passengers. Copies of
the complete Public Use Airports database and accompanying metadata may be
downloaded from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' (BTS)National
Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD).
8.
Hydrographic Features -
Water features, including rivers, canals,
lakes, etc. were developed from the Bureau of the Census 2000 TIGER/Line files,
and include separate layers for lines features (e.g., small rivers and streams)
and area features (e.g., lakes and wide rivers).
Copies of the hydrographic features databases and accompanying metadata
may be downloaded from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' (BTS)National
Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD).
9.
Canadian Provinces & Mexican
States - A combined area
database showing the shorelines, borders, and primary administrative
subdivisions for Canada and Mexico was developed by the Bureau of
Transportation Statistics (BTS) from geo-spatial data contained in the Digital
Chart of the World. Copies of the
Canadian Provinces and Mexican States databases and accompanying metadata may
be downloaded from the BTS
North American Transportation Atlas Database (NORTAD).
10.
Cities & Populated Places -
A point database of U.S. cities and populated places based on the U.S.
Geological Survey's 2000 National Populated Places database.
Copies of the database and accompanying metadata may be downloaded from
the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' (BTS)
National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD).
11.
Military Installations -
Military Installation boundaries are based on a database originally developed
by the Military Traffic Management Command Transportation Engineering Agency
(MTMC), and are consistent in geographic accuracy with the 2000 TIGER database.
Copies of the database and accompanying metadata may be downloaded from the
Bureau of Transportation Statistics' (BTS)
National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD).
12.
National Parks -
National Park boundaries are based on a database developed by the National Park
Service (NPS).
Copies of the database and accompanying metadata may be downloaded from the
Bureau of Transportation Statistics' (BTS)
National
Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD).
13.
Indian Reservations -
American Indian Reservation boundaries are based on cartographic boundaries
developed by the Bureau of the Census for the 2000 decennial Census, and are
consistent in geographic accuracy with the 2000 TIGER database.
Copies of the database and accompanying metadata may be downloaded from
the U.S. Census Bureau's
Cartographic Boundary Files.
14.
FHWA Adjusted Urbanized Areas -
The FHWA adjusted urbanized area boundaries
represent 1990 Census urbanized area boundaries that have been adjusted outward
by States in accordance with Federal Highway statutes.
The database was originally developed by the FHWA.
A revised database, reflecting changes in adjusted urbanized area
boundaries resulting from the 2000 Census, is currently under development.
Copies of the 1990 database and accompanying metadata may be downloaded from
the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' (BTS)
National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD).
Demographic Information Application
In
addition to the geo-spatial databases
used in all of the HEPGIS applications,
the following database is used in the Demographic Information Application:
15.
Census Tracts -
Census Tract boundaries are
based on cartographic boundaries developed by the Bureau of the Census for the
2000 decennial Census, and are consistent in geographic accuracy with the 2000
TIGER database. Copies of the
database and accompanying metadata may be downloaded from the U.S. Census
Bureau's Cartographic
Boundary Files.
Highway Information Application
In
addition to the geo-spatial databases
used in all of the HEPGIS applications,
the following database is used in the Highway Information Application:
16.
Intermodal Terminals -
A point database of intermodal freight and passenger facilities that identifies
the geospatial locations of those intermodal terminals that are served by the
FHWA approved NHS intermodal connectors.
Copies of the database and accompanying metadata are currently available on the
National Highway Planning Network NHPN V2005.08 CD-ROM.
Contact information may be obtained from FHWA's
NHPN web site.
MPO Boundaries Application
In
addition to the geo-spatial databases
used in all of the HEPGIS applications
, the following database is used in the MPO Boundaries Application:
17.
Metropolitan Statistical Areas -
The federal Office of Management and Budget define Metropolitan Statistical
Area as a core area having a population of at least 50,000, together with
adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social integration
with that core.
Copies of the database and
accompanying metadata may be downloaded from the U.S. Census Bureau's
Cartographic Boundary Files.
18.
Metropolitan Planning Areas -
Metropolitan Planning Area boundaries are established by metropolitan planning
organizations (MPOs) as the geographic area for which the MPO has
transportation planning responsibilities.
FHWA has developed a consolidated, nationwide database of metropolitan planning
area boundaries. Copies of the database and accompanying metadata may be
downloaded from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' (BTS) National
Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD).
19.
Air Quality Nonattainment and Maintenance Areas -
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified specific geographic
areas for 8 categories of airborne pollutants where National Ambient Air
Quality Standards (NAAQS) are either not currently being met (nonattainment
areas), or which are now in attainment but must continue to be monitored
(maintenance areas). The 8
"criteria pollutant" categories are Ozone (1-hour and 8-Hour); Particulate
Matter (2.5 and 10 micron diameter); Carbon Monoxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Nitrogen
Dioxide, and Lead. FHWA
has developed geographic databases for each criteria pollutant, based on
descriptions contained in EPA's "Green Book" air quality website:
http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/greenbk/index.html. Copies of the
nonattainment and maintenance area databases may be downloaded from the Bureau
of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD).
20.
Census Places -
Census Place boundaries were developed by the Bureau of the Census for the 2000
decennial Census to delineate jurisdictional boundaries for incorporated cities
and places, as well as Census defined concentrations of population, known as
Census-defined places.
Copies of the database and accompanying metadata may be downloaded from the
U.S. Census Bureau's Cartographic
Boundary Files.
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